
Luna is Training to be a Therapy Dog!
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Allison and the sweet girl in the fundraiser photo is Luna! Luna is a standard Bernedoodle with a goofy personality who first runs past all the dogs at the park to greet all the humans. As I wrap up my MSW (Masters of Social Work) this May I've set my next goal to complete Luna's Therapy Dog training! This would allow her to go to work with me each day, to a K-6 grade elementary school in an urban Title 1 public schools district, and spread her love of humans to the over 650 students enrolled. Plus, she can make guest appearance at other schools too!
In preparation of this goal I first did a big Internet search on local facilities and options to find what I thought would be the best fit. Then I had Luna assessed by trainers from a local facility, "Dog Training Elite Greater Cincinnati," to determine if she would be a valid candidate. Once her overall trainability was determined I was sent a quote, which I used to set the fundraiser goal. The quoted training program includes 8 total 1-on-1 sessions, followed by unlimited group sessions.
With Administrator support, our School Social Worker and I have been reviewing research on the positive impact of therapy and/or facility dogs in education in regard to not only Social Emotional Learning, but Academic Performance (I recommend the NIH National Library of Medicine for easily accessible research). We are next set to tour another school in the district to see how they have successfully implemented a facility dog in their building (sweet Dug!).
The initial cost to acquire and train a full time therapy and/or facility dog can reach upwards of $10,000 and upwards of $22,000 for service dogs, according to Penn State Health. Because Luna is already established in my home, as my own dog, this eliminates the cost barriers of adopting a dog (especially a hypoallergenic breed), of establishing a handler, and providing funds for their daily living needs and items.
The only thing standing between Luna and supporting students and schools is the cost of training. We are grateful for any amount you might give in support of this goal :)
Organizer

Allison Sears
Organizer
Dayton, KY